Ohio regulators are moving closer to prohibiting the use of credit cards for sports betting deposits, as the state continues examining measures intended to reduce gambling-related harm.
The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) is completing work on a draft rule that would prevent sportsbooks from accepting credit card transactions. Before the restriction can take effect, it must receive approval from the Common Sense Initiative and the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review.
The proposed rule follows broader discussions in Ohio over payment methods and consumer protections in the state’s sports betting market, which launched in 2023.
Regulators and Lawmakers Pursue Similar Restrictions
The OCCC’s proposal aligns with legislation introduced earlier this year that would significantly reshape sports betting in Ohio.
House Bill 971, known as the Save Ohio Sports Act, would eliminate statewide online sports betting while allowing wagering only at licensed retail casino sportsbooks. Mobile betting platforms would remain available solely within casino properties through geofencing rather than operating across the state.
Republican Representatives Johnathan Newman and Beth Lear introduced the legislation. If enacted, Ohio would become the first state to repeal online sports betting after the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).
The bill also proposes tighter controls on sportsbook advertising. It would prohibit gambling promotions inside college sports venues and during live sports broadcasts.
Alongside those changes, the legislation would ban the use of credit cards to fund sportsbook accounts. Bettors would instead rely on payment methods including bank transfers, wire transfers, promotional credits and gambling winnings. The payment restriction mirrors an amendment proposed by the OCCC in May.
Consumer Protection Remains the Focus
Supporters of the proposed restrictions argue that limiting the use of borrowed money can reduce financial risks associated with gambling.
Derek Longmeier, executive director of the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio, said monitoring gambling activity has become more difficult with more than a dozen online sportsbooks operating in the state.
“One of the cardinal rules of gambling, at low risk, is only spending money that you have,” Longmeier said. “If you’re putting money on a credit card, then obviously, that goes beyond that.”
Longmeier’s comments reflect concerns raised by problem gambling advocates, faith-based organisations and mental health groups that have supported stricter regulation of sports betting.
Governor Mike DeWine recently described signing Ohio’s sports betting legalization law as his “biggest mistake,” although a spokesperson for the governor declined to comment on the Commission’s proposed rule.
Political support for broader reforms remains uncertain. Most Ohio lawmakers supported legal sports betting when it passed in 2021, with only 14 of the state’s 132 legislators voting against legalization. As a result, observers expect House Bill 971 to face a difficult path through the legislature.
Research conducted before legal sports betting launched found that one in five Ohio residents qualified as at least “at-risk” gamblers. State data also showed a significant increase in calls to Ohio’s problem gambling hotline during 2023.
If adopted, Ohio would join a small group of states that already prohibit credit card funding for sports betting, including Illinois and Tennessee.
Source:
“Ohio agency looks to ban sports bettors from using credit cards to gamble”, statenews.org. Jul 6, 2026
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